St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-04-15

realize an annual revenue of at least $500.
600 for an indefinite period FROM this source.
On this basis the seal fur fisheries of Alaska
are worth at least SIS, 900, 900 to the govern
ment--more than double the price paid for
the territory. Consequently it becomes
matter of grave concern to protect this
valuable property fran the Entertainments
Of adventures. The matter which the
president and his cabinet officers discussed
at the last meeting of the cabinet. and the
discussion of which will be renewed at the
next regular cabinet meeting will be
the ACCESSIBILITY of the government
taking steps to protect its inter-
ests i'm this direction. and to de-
termine how far the jurisdiction of the
United States extends upon the high seas.
The latter is the most difficult question pre-
sented in this whole matter. and its settle
ment Will have great deal to do with es
tablishihg Our fishery relations with Canada
on the Atlantic coast. The two small
islandS-St. George and st. Paul-which
from time imtlemoriai have been the favor
lite breeding places of the seal, are situated
about 500 miles from the main land and
about 1000 miles northwest of Sitka. They
are small islands. the largest not being over
ID miles in length. The islands are sur
rounded with dense fog all the time and
for that reason present climatic conditions
which attract the seal that do not exist any
where else. In the month of May these
anphbious animals come to the shores of
these islands in armies uf hundreds of thou
sands. remain there during the summer and
III the early fall depart with their young.
no one knows whittier The seal is an ami
NAL of peculiar instincts and the utmost
care has to be employed in its capture.
They are exceedingly sensitive animals.
The faintest tainting OF the air disturbs
them greatly. If the smoke of chimney
two miles away is blown in the direction of
a seal the animal Immediately detects it and
will ship its quarters. Ii few of the seals
are killed upon the beach the others quit the
place quickly and ever afterwards avoid it,
When they are taken they are driven inland
like herd of cattle and are all slaughtered
at one place as remote as possible from the
beach, Under the restrictions placed by the
government OIL the Alaska Fur company,
the killing of female seals is prohibited.
for their fur. The trouble now is that sum
dry English and Canadian fishermen are in
the habit of cruising around the seal Islands
and while they do not have the temerity to
land, they kill the female seals who have left
| their young on land and ventured out into
the water in search of food. The gov
eminent cruisers have seized several of
these encroaching vessels but their owners
| claim that under strict application of
International law, the jurisdiction of
| our government does not extend over
the wide stretch of water removed
| so far from the mainland. This is the knotty
| question which the administration is called
upon to decide at this time. In order to
maintain this seal possession we must as
| sert this extension of jurisdiction, for if the
adventurous fishermen are permitted to go
ahead killing off the female seal and leav-
| ing the young without protection and of
course to perish. then it necessarily follows
| that this valuable government property
is greatly injured thereby. It is the duty
of the government to protect this posses
| sion. If the administration determines
| that our national jurisdiction does not eX-
tend far enough to justify the government
in adopting prompt measures to protect its
fur seal possessions, then arrangements
should be made with Great Britain at once
for its protection by treaty. 1t is COM
plicated problem that should be solved
without delay. The government owes it to
the Alaska Commercial company to protect
it from outside interference, and there Ger
tainly will be no hope of leasing the fur
business to good advantage in the future
. unless the government can guarantee that
the integrity Of the fisheries will be de-
Tended.